I know you are looking for the best option on how to plan a day trip from Salzburg to Hallstatt using Public Transportation. Here you go with 4 options and you may choose according to your convenience. 🙂
Option 1
Choose this option if you plan to visit Hallstatt town and spend time like experiencing the Salt Mine. Plan your trip on www.salzburg-verkehr.at/en
Bus 150 from Salzburg to Bad Ischl. (Single Journey 10.60 € per person/ Day ticket 21.20 €)
Train from Bad Ischl to Hallstatt Bahnhof (Single Journey 4.20 € per person/ Day ticket for 8.40 €)
Ferry from Hallstatt Bahnhof to Hallstatt Markt (Schiffstation) (Single Journey 2.50 € per person)
Full plan here
Option 2
Choose this option if you plan to visit Hallstatt town and spend time like experiencing the Salt Mine. Only Bus. Plan your trip on www.salzburg-verkehr.at/en
Bus 150 from Salzburg to Bad Ischl (Single Journey 10.60 € per person/ Day ticket 21.20 €)
Bus 542 from Bad Ischl to Hallstatt Gosaumühle (Single Journey 5.20 € per person till Hallstatt Römische/ Day ticket 8.40 €)
Bus 543 from Hallstatt Gosaumühle to Hallstatt Römische
Full Plan here
Option 3
I chose this option to experience spectacular views and caves on Dachstein mountain. And skipped Salt Mine in Hallstatt. With this plan, you get 2-3 hours to spend in Hallstatt town including lunch.
Plan your trip on www.salzburg-verkehr.at/en
Bus 150 from Salzburg to Bad Ischl (Single Journey 10.60 € per person/ Day ticket 21.20 €)
Train from Bad Ischl to Obertraun Dachsteinhöhlen Bahnhof (Single Journey 5.20 € per person / Day ticket for 10.40 €)
Bus 543 from Obertraun Dachsteinhöhlen Bahnhof to Obertraun Dachsteinseilbahn (Cable Car)
Bus 543 from Obertraun Dachsteinseilbahn to Hallstatt Lahn
Full plan here
Option 4
I suggest this option only if you already purchased some Rail Pass and want to use it. Plan your trip on www.oebb.at/en/
Train from Salzburg Hauptbahnhof to Attnang-Puchheim Bahnhof
Train from Attnang-Puchheim Bahnhofl to Hallstatt Bahnhof
Ferry from Hallstatt Bahnhof to Hallstatt Markt (Schiffstation)
Full plan here
I will explain Option 3 which we chose on a Saturday. Check here too
Bus 150 from Salzburg to Bad Ischl
Plan your trip using www.salzburg-verkehr.at/en based on the start date and time you wish. Saturday morning there is a bus at 06:45 and next one at 08:15. We took 06:45 so that we could explore maximum.
06:45 Take Regional Bus 150 towards Bad Ischl (via Hof – Fuschl – St.Gilgen – Strobl)
Buy ticket for 10.60 € per person from vending machine or Driver (You can even buy Day ticket for 21.20 € for unlimited travel between these stops including return trip and avoid to be in queue to buy ticket while returning). Incase you bought ticket from vending machine and to be validated, get the ticket validated by driver as there is no punch machine inside the postbus.
1h 25min total Journey time and you will reach Bad Ischl at 08:10
Remember to sit on the left side of the bus to get good views. Some photos on the route here
Train from Bad Ischl to Obertraun Dachsteinhöhlen Bahnhof
This route actually comes under network plan of Linz city. Please check www.ooevv.at to get good price deals.
08:20 Take Train R 3406 Regionalzug towards Obertraun-Dachsteinhöhlen Bahnhof
Buy Day ticket for 10.40 € per person from the ticket vending machine or from the counter. (Single ticket is 5.20 €) Day ticket will be useful for unlimited travel in the region and for return trip as well. You can also by OÖVV Day Ticket for 10.40 € from www.oebb.at/en/.
0h 31min and after 6 Intermediate stops, you reach Obertraun-Dachsteinhöhlen Bahnhof at 08:51.
Remember to sit on the right side of the train to get good views. Some photos on the route here
OÖVV Day Ticket is valid unlimited in any mode of public transportation except ferry. You may find more details in www.ooevv.at
Bus 543 from Obertraun Dachsteinhöhlen Bahnhof to Obertraun Dachsteinseilbahn (Cable Car)
Walk few meters to Obertraun Abzw Bahnhof Dachsteinhöhlen Bus stop outside the railway station.
9:03 Take Bus 543 towards Obertraun Dachsteinseilbahn
You can use the same Day ticket bought for this journey as this ticket valid for entire region. (Otherwise you have to pay 2.10 € single journey)
0h 7min and after 3 Intermediate stops, you reach Obertraun Dachsteinseilbahn cable car station at 09:12.
Plan your mountain visit as per www.dachstein-salzkammergut.com. There are lot to see like ice cave, mammut cave, five fingers etc and even more walking trails. You get a spectacular view of Hallstatt lake and far mountains. See the overview here or here.
Dont forget to take a note of the return bus time and come down to Bus stop accordingly.
Bus 543 from Obertraun Dachsteinseilbahn to Hallstatt Lahn
Take bus 543 to Hallstatt Lahn. Bus will not go to Hallstatt main market square instead go through the tunnel and reach the other end of Hallstatt. So you must getdown in Hallstatt Lahn. Sometimes the bus goes to Obertraun railway station direction and come back and take same route to Hallstatt Lahn. So don’t worry and ask Driver if any doubts. Check below map.
You can use the same Day ticket as this ticket valid for entire region. (Otherwise you have to pay 2.10 € single journey).
Now spend your time in Hallstatt town and take some nice pics and of the famous scene and take rest in a coffee shop or lake shore.
….and plan your return journey.
Return Journey:
Ferry from Hallstatt Markt (Schiffstation) to Hallstatt Bahnhof
Check the price and time table on their website www.hallstattschifffahrt.at
Take ferry at 16:15 to catch train at 16:32
OR
Take ferry at 16:45 to catch train at 17:08
2.50 € per person single journey. Take any of the above Ferry as risk is involved to get proper return connection after this time.
In case you missed this Ferry, walk a bit and at 17:36 take bus 543 from Hallstatt Römische to Hallstatt Gosaumühle and change to Bus 542 to Bad Ischl (The bus 543 may display Bad Ischl as destination but driver will give you instructions in bus to change to 542 at Hallstatt Gosaumühle to continue to Bad Ischl) and you reach at 18:11 in Bad Ischl so that you can catch last direct bus 150 to Salzburg at 18:24.
Otherwise there is last Ferry at 18:15 to catch train at 18:32. But you cannot catch last direct bus 150 at 18:24 from Bad Ischl as train reaches only at 18:52. In this case continue journey in Train to Attnang-Puchheim Bahnhof and change to another train to Salzburg. If you plan to take only bus, next bus from Bad Ischl is at 20:24 and you need to change to another bus at St.Gilgen. I suggest to avoid this plan.
Train from Hallstatt Bahnhof to Bad Ischl Bahnhof
16:32 Take Train REX 3427 RegionalExpress towards Attnang-Puchheim Bahnhof and get down in Bad Ischl Bahnhof. Use the same Day ticket. Otherwise Single ticket is 4.20 €. 0h 20min, 2 Intermediate stops. Reaches at 16:52
OR
17:08 Take Train R 4421 Regionalzug towards Attnang-Puchheim Bahnhof and get down in Bad Ischl Bahnhof. Use the same Day ticket. Otherwise Single ticket is 4.20 €. 0h 27min, 5 Intermediate stops. Reaches at 17:34
Bus from Bad Ischl to Salzburg
17:24 Take direct Bus 150 to Salzburg.
After1h 33min and 59 Intermediate stops you reach Salzburg at 18:57.
OR
18:24 Take direct Bus 150 to Salzburg.
After1h 29min and 59 Intermediate stops you reach Salzburg at 19:53
Single journey is 10.60 € or use Day ticket purchased before for 21,20 €
Total Expense per Adult without Day Pass & including Ferry: 10.60 + 5.20 + 2.10 + 2.10 + 2.50 + 4.20 + 10.60 = 37.30 €
Total Expense per Adult with Day Pass & including Ferry: 21.20 + 10.40 + 2.50 = 34.10 €
Total Expense per Adult with Day Pass excluding Ferry: 21.20 + 10.40 = 31.60 €
I hope above plans are helpful for you. Timing and bus/train names are valid as on 10-Sep-2016 and you may check corresponding websites when you plan your journey.
Happy travelling…!!!
